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April 10, 2010

G5: Red Sox 8, Royals 3

For about five minutes in the ninth inning, Jason Varitek was the team leader in home runs. He had led off the inning with his second solo drive of the game. Three batters later, Dustin Pedroia hit Boston's fifth long ball of the night and joined Tek as the only two Sox with two dongs.

Jeremy Hermida and Varitek went back-to-back off Greinke in the fifth. Kevin Youkilis smacked a solo shot in the eighth. Jacoby Ellsbury was 3-for-5, with an RBI double and two runs scored.

Beckett (7-9-3-1-4, 105) had two rough patches: allowing a double, walk and single after two were out in the first, and allowing four hits and two runs (on 32 pitches) in the seventh. Hideki Ojakima and Ramon Ramirez set down all six batters they faced.

Greinke started against the Tigers last Monday (6-6-2-1-4, 96), leaving with a 4-2 lead. The Royals' bullpen promptly allowed six runs in the seventh inning and Kansas City lost 8-4. Same old story for Greinke, who had several leads tossed away last season; he posted a 2.35 ERA in nine no-decisions in 2009.

Beckett (4.2-8-5-3-1, 94) faced the Yankees last Sunday. It was only the second time in Beckett's career that he pitched at least 4.2 innings and did not record more than one strikeout. the other was June 14, 2007 against the Rockies.

Bad bullpen: In 13.1 innings, 21 men on base via hit or walk. Daniel Bard and Hideki Okajima have allowed 11 baserunners in six innings.